With Abandon: With or Without, Book 4

could start planning the wedding by the beginning of the year.”
    Bile rose up Matt’s throat and the sensation of icy needles stabbed his face and chest. His breath
    hitched and stuttered out. Aubrey had never intended to give them a fair chance. All along he’d planned on marrying and keeping Matt as what? A lover on the sly? Everything Keaton had accused Aubrey of was
    true. Lightheaded, Matt grabbed the back of a chair to steady himself.
    Aubrey met Matt’s gaze. He hesitated for a few seconds and stepped closer, holding his hand out.
    “Matt…”
    Pulling his hands into himself before Aubrey could touch him, Matt shook his head. His heart beat so
    hard his chest hurt. A surge of anger overpowered his despair. “No. You lied. Avoidance is lying, Aubrey.
    Just like last time. Only this time you didn’t need Carson to slip up and accidentally tell on you. You did it yourself. You deliberately misled me. You couldn’t even trust in me enough to tell me you had three
    forms.” He shouldn’t be saying this in front of Keaton and Chay, but it just kept spilling out. “My mother is a liar too, and you’re just like her. Were you planning on marrying and visiting me on weekends? Or maybe your lunch hour?”
    “Matt.” Aubrey advanced, reaching for him again.
    Matt dodged backward. The tears he’d been holding back spilled over and ran down his cheeks. Dang
    it.
    “You sorry bastard. Don’t touch him.” Growling, Keaton lunged at his brother. He hit Aubrey square
    in the chest, and they went tumbling out the French doors onto the veranda from the momentum.
    Shock held Matt’s feet firmly rooted to the living-room floor. Heck, he wanted to do the same thing
    Keaton did. But there was also that strong prickling along his spine—his hackle rising in wolf form—
    shouting at him to protect his mate. Stupid bond. Matt didn’t need it or want it at the moment. He and Aubrey were through. Dashing away the tears, he watched as Aubrey and Keaton rolled around the back
    porch, grappling with each other. No claws were extended.
    Chay strolled over to the doors with a groan.

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    This whole thing was surreal. “Should we do something?” Matt asked him, looking for guidance.
    “Nah. Let them fight it out. It’ll do them good. I don’t think they’re going to actually kill each other.”
    Chay frowned. “Are you okay?”
    “Yeah.” Matt wasn’t, not really, but he didn’t want to discuss it.
    Chay nodded, seeming to understand. “If you need to talk—” Turning toward the stairs, he cocked his
    head. “What’s that?”
    “What?”
    “It sounds like a phone.”
    Oh shoot. “It’s my cell.” Matt glanced toward the stairs.
    “Go. I’ll keep an eye on them.” Chay turned his attention back to his mate and brother-in-law. “I’ll
    yell if I need help.”
    Matt took off running, praying he got to Aubrey’s room fast enough. Dang it. He’d been waiting all
    day to hear from his brother. What a time for Logan to call. His feet beat in time with his pulse as he pounded up the stairs. Why did this place have to be so big? He’d get the phone and come back down here in case Chay needed him.
    Skidding to a halt in front of Aubrey’s nightstand, Matt snatched his phone up. He didn’t even look at
    the caller ID before he answered. Panting for breath, he dropped one hand to his knee. “Hello?” A breeze came in from the still-open balcony. Matt turned toward it, waiting for someone to answer. “Hello?”
    “Matthew?”
    Matt frowned. “Eddie?”
    “Uh-huh.” His baby brother’s voice sounded shaky. The three-year-old gulped in a breath. “It’s me,
    Matt.”
    Dropping down on the edge of the bed, Matt tried to calm his racing heart. He’d been winded and all
    out of whack emotionally thanks to Aubrey, but now he had an overwhelming sense of dread. Eddie never
    called him. He talked to Eddie on the phone, sure, but someone else always did the calling. All his brothers knew which button speed-dialed his cell phone though. Matt softened his voice, hoping to take the worry from it. “What’s wrong, buddy? You okay?”
    “Uh-huh. I’m scared though.” Eddie sniffed and his little voice quivered. “I woke up and nobody’s
    here. Mommy’s car’s gone.”

    The air left his lungs in a painful gasp as Aubrey landed flat on his back. The panic of not being able to breathe hit at him. Oh damn, that hurt. The scrape of the cobblestones didn’t